Commentary: When fake news is fun

By Cynthia Prairie
©2017 Telegraph Publishing LLC

A new online “news” site has recently emerged from the ether.  The Winooski, which bills itself as “locally sourced organic Vermont satire” and “Vermont’s Fakest News,” has, unlike other northern Vermont based publications, agencies and radio stations, realized that stuff does indeed happen south of Route 4 and it is happy to make fun of it.

It began in late May by poking fun at the area’s dealings with the pock-marked Route 11 between Chester and Londonderry, writing that “local citizens have now been told that the damage is the work of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack,” and even “quotes” Londonderry Town Clerk Kelly Pajala.

In mid-June it gave a shout-out to The Chester Telegraph under the headline  Local Papers Continue to Ignore Demand, Print Truth  and “quoted” reporter Bruce Frauman so perfectly, we believed he could have said it.

And just this past week, it wrote about Phoenix Books, which has a branch in Chester. The headline? Phoenix Books Burns to the Ground, Is Immediately Rebuilt.

So, take a look. Have some fun. Get your fake news with The Winooski  (with two onions in its logo) and continue to get your real news with us.